Walg (“disgust/repulsion”) is a melodic Black Metal project from Groningen, Netherlands, formed in 2021 by Robert Koning (all instruments) and Yorick Keijzer (vocals). The band emerged during the stillness of the COVID‑19 pandemic, initially as an experiment between two long‑time friends whose creative chemistry quickly solidified into a serious project. Now six albums deep with ‘VI’ (2026) as their most mature, cinematic, and regionally rooted work.
Their music is defined by Dutch‑language lyrics rooted in Groninger folklore, local history, existential themes, and personal introspection. A blend of ’90s melodic Black Metal with modern production, orchestral layers, folk instrumentation (mandolin, accordion, flute, violin), and dynamic arrangements and a strong sense of regional identity, songs referencing local landmarks (e.g., Het Klooster van Ter Apel) and historical dates (1597).
Personally, Vapor Hiemis from Beluras strongly comes to mind, but also Wiegedood and Old Man’s Child.
Throughout their 6 albums, Walg have constantly refined and deepened their sound, finding a balance between rage, storytelling and introspection.
Their music maybe melodic but still carries enough punch to get noticed.
We’re focusing on the ‘V’ album from 2025 here.
Walg, the spectral duo from Groningen, step forward once more with ‘V’, a fifth 2025 full‑length that feels less like a mere continuation and more like a widening of the horizon they have been carving into Dutch Black Metal. In the hands of Robert Koning and Yorick Keijzer, symphonic and melodic Black Metal does not simply regain momentum; it breathes again, rising like a cold wind over the lowlands. What once seemed a genre resting on the echoes of Emperor or Dimmu Borgir now stirs anew, and Walg are among those giving it shape, depth, and pulse.
‘V’ unfolds with the confidence of a band who no longer chase inspiration but command it. The songs move with a kind of dark grace, each one revealing a new facet of their craft. Keijzer’s voice becomes a many‑headed creature; howling, lamenting, whispering, erupting, shifting from tortured shrieks to wounded wails to theatrical, crystalline cleans. Koning’s compositions expand outward, drawing on the cosmic eccentricity of Borknagar and weaving it into brooding, shadow‑laden arrangements that feel both dramatic and tightly controlled. The production is sharp and luminous, allowing the bombast to bloom without drowning the finer details.
Moments of brilliance rise like monuments from the mist.
‘De Adem Van Het Einde’ charges forward with a ferocity that recalls Carach Angren’s grandiose storytelling, yet halfway through it opens into a melodic expanse that feels almost revelatory.
‘Daar Waar Stilte Spreekt’ marches with the proud, windswept spirit of Thyrfing and Helheim, its riffs glowing like embers in a long‑forgotten hall.
And ‘Ego‑Dood’ stands as a testament to Walg’s dual nature; violent and restrained, furious and contemplative, a single track that contains both storm and stillness.
Across nine compositions, ‘V’ becomes less an album and more a journey through shifting emotional landscapes: grief, triumph, introspection, and the cold beauty of perseverance. It is a multifaceted work, fluid in motion, rich in texture, and unmistakably the product of a band ascending with purpose. Walg do not simply contribute to the revival of Dutch melodic Black Metal, they illuminate it. Over 39 minutes of high quality Dutch symphonic/melodic Black Metal, and it’s a total delight!
